Sharpener for razor blades



Sept. 23, 1930. R; B. STANFORD SHARPEYNER FOR RAZOR BLADES Filed Aug. 6, 1927 IZZI A RALPH B. STANFORD, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO OF SHREWSBURY, PENNSYLVANIA ple and cheap Patented 1 Sept. 23, 1930 IT STATES PATENT OFFICE SHARPENER FOR RAZOR BLADES Application filed August 6, 1927. Serial No. 211,069.

' This invention relates to an improved sharpener for razor-blades and has for one of its objects to provide an exceedingly simstructure for sharpening the cutting edges of razor-blades.

Another'object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of razor-blade sharpener whereby the opposite faces of a beveled cutting-edge of the blade may be simultaneously operated upon in a qulck and eifective manner.

A further object is to provide a novel construction of blade sharpener whereby both cutting edges of adouble-edg'e blade'may be sharpened at the same time, a still further object is to provide avnovel construction of sharpener inwhich the sharpening of the blade is efi'ected without wearing away the steel of the blade.

With these, and other objects in view, the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein,

Fig. 1, showsthe complete device in fiat face view.

.Fig. 2, illustrates the same in edge elevation.

Fig. 3, shows the device opened flat with a razor-blade laid therein.

F ig. 4, illustrates on an enlargedscale a central longitudinal section through one of the holder halves with/the blade in place showing the same as though viewed on the line44of Figi3. v

Fig. 5, shows the two halves of the device closed with a blade-between them in readiness for sharpening, the view being a crosssectional one as though taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6, illustrtaes a cross-sectional detail through the sharpening devices and the beveled edge'of the blade, the section being takfen on the line 66 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7, shows a modified form of sharpening device.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 10, designates one of the case alves and 11 the other half thereof. These. two halves are united alon one edge by a hinge 12, so the halves may opened or closed.

Each half of the case has the form of a shalside concave.

low receptacle with a bottomand a marginal flange all the way around the bottom. The two halves however difl'er slightly in depth because one of them is to contain .an actuating means which is not present in the other.

While it is not exactly correct to term one of the halves the bottom-half and the other the top-half because the reverse may be just as true when referring to the halves, yet to distinguish the one half from the other I shall nevertheless use those expressions.

The half which is designated 10 in the drawing I shall term the bottom-half because it is on that half that the blade is laid when it is placed for sharpening.

The bottom-half 10. is of a slightly greater depth than the top-half and has a longitudinal and centrally-located slot 13' in its bottom wall 14, and its opposite end flanges- 15 have inturned lugs 16 at'their upper edges, as clearly seen in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. In the bottom half 10 I locate one of my improved sharpening elements 17.

This sharpeningelement consists of a metal plate shaped to'fit into the bottom half of the case and therefore, in this instance, being of a general rectangular shape, and has at its opposite longitudinal edges an alternate series of lugs 18 and recesses 19, such as are shown in Fig. 7 of the drawing.

By reference to Fig.1 of the drawing it will be noted that the lugs 18 along one edge of'the element are directly opposite recesses 19 along the opposite edge of the same element.

The element 17 it will be noted,'particularlay by reference to Fig. 5 of the drawing, has a at central portion 20 with a longitudinal slot 21 therein while the lugs 18. at the opposite sides thereof .are inclined upwardly from said fiat central portions It will also be noted, by reference to Fig. 6, of the drawing, that in cross-section, the lugs 18 are concave-convex with the convex surface 22 of the lugs on the upper side of the lugs. It is not essential that the lower sides of these lugs be concave but to produce the convexity on the upper side it is more readily accomplished by atoolwhich leaves the lower ZERVA I. s'mlvronn,

lugs 16 on the end At the opposite ends, the sharpening element 17 has a stepped formation across its central flat portion which produces a foot 23 which rests upon the bottom wall 14 so as to hold the element in a slightly elevated position above the bottom wall, tor a purpose that will presently be explained.

It will be noted however, that when the sharpening element 17 is in the bottom half of the case that it has a freedom of movement between the bottom wall 14 and the inturned flanges 15.

Between the underside of the element 17 and the bottom wall 14 I locate an actuating slide 24 which latter has a finger-engaging loop or projection 25, which extends through the slot 13 in the bottom wall 14, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing.

The actuating element is therefore slidable over the bottom wall 14 and in the space between the under side of the sharpeningelement 17 and the bottom wall.

The actuating element is provided with laterally-turned end tangs or lugs 26, which are spaced so as to enter the perforations 27 which are usually provided in the well known razor. blades-28 of the Gillette type so the blade may be laid on the sharpening element with the tangs or lugs 26 of the actuator extending through the perforations 27 whereby the blade may be reciprocated in a direction lengthwise of the element 17 and crosswise of the convexsurfaces of the inclinedlugs 18, as 'wili presently be more ful ll yl explained.

e upper half 11 of the case also has a marginal flange and in this half I locate a second shar ening element 29 which latter is heldin p ace' by inturned lugs 30, on the opposite end flanges.

This second sharpenlng element 29 is constructed like the element 17 with which it j co'acts,.1n that it has a series of alternate lugs -31' and recesses 32 along its opposite side ed es. I

' longitudinal slot 33 is also provided along the center of this second sharpening element 29.

The lugsin this second element 29 are also convex on their'up er faces and are inclined with respect to tlie'central portion of the element just'as in the element 17.

The positions of the lugs 31 and recesses 32 on this second element 29. with respect to the lugs 18 and recesses 19 on the element 17 arecsuch that when these two elements 17 and 29 are brought together by swinging the half 11 over the half 10 with the razor-blade 28 between them, the lugs 31 on the element 29 will register with the recesses 19 of the element 17 while the lugs '18 on element 17 will register with the recesses 32 of element 29.

This causes the inclined lugs on the one element'to intermesh with the inclined lugs will slide the cutting edges of the blade over I the convex surfaces 22 of the intermeshed lugs and sharpen those edges on both .sides of the bevel. Of course the two halves of the case will be held closed during the reciprocating movement of the blade so the latter will be clamped between the two sharpenin elements and as the element 17 has a, slight movement in the half 10 in a direction toward the element 29, the clamping pressure-of the lugs 18-31 on the beveled edges of the blade may be varied.

In some instances I may provide the lugs 18 or 31 with blocks'or inserts 35 of any suitable material that will either grind or act to polish the blade edge. I The entire device is compact and the insertion or removal of a blade is easily effected while the sharpening operation is quickly accomplished.

Having described my invention, I claim,-

In a razor-blade sharpener the combination with a casing comprising two recep- ,tacles, one of said receptacles havin a central longitudinal slot, of means for inging said receptacles together along one side edge; a sharpening element'in each receptacle at least one of said elements having a extends outwardly through the slot of the receptacle and also having lugs at its inner side to engage and reciprocate a razor-blade between the two elements.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. RALPH B. STANFORD.

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